My six year old loves Minecraft, so this year we decided to make Minecraft Valentine's Day cards for his class. I kept it simple with swords for the boys and hearts for the girls-- All in the pixelated-Minecraft theme of course!
Perler Beads lend themselves perfectly for this. I have to admit that I kind of like working with them-- slow, pedantic and somewhat relaxing if you're not in a rush. I had a bit of practice with Perler Beads when we threw a Minecraft-themed birthday party last summer (details HERE).
You can obviously do a lot more with Perler Beads and the Minecraft theme-- Minecraft Creepers, Steves and Mobs, etc. If you're looking for more design ideas, check out these Perler Bead cupcake picks.
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How to make a Minecraft Valentine's Day Card
Perler Beads
Perler Bead pegboards
ball chain necklace or keychain
glue on bails
strong adhesive - I used E6000
iron
ironing paper or parchment paper
BE MINEcraft Free Printable
kraft brown card stock
computer/printer
scissors or paper cutter
Minecraft Sword Pattern--
Minecraft Sword Pattern: I used a large square peg board and was able to make 4 swords at a time. To form the point of the sword, you'll need to create these on the diagonal.
Ironing tips: After the design is complete, cover the beads with a sheet of ironing paper or parchment paper, waxy side down. Using an iron that is set to medium heat, evenly press down on the beads. Don't over-iron! Iron the beads several times in short increments. The "melted" beads will be the back of your design. To keep the pixelated look, I chose not to iron the front of the design. To ensure that the design stays together, make sure that the beads are melted and strongly adhere to each other. Sometimes it is hard to tell when the beads are still warm. You can always iron it again later after the beads are off the board.
Minecraft Heart Pattern--
Minecraft Heart Design: While I was working on the swords, my mom graciously made the hearts. Thanks mom! She used the heart-shaped peg board, however, you can also make this pattern (on the diagonal) on a square board.
Ironing tips: After the design is complete, cover with a sheet of ironing paper or parchment paper, waxy side down. Using an iron that is set to medium heat, evenly press down on the beads. Don't over-iron! Iron the beads several times in short increments. The "melted" beads will be the back of your design. To keep the pixelated look, I chose not to iron the front of the design. To ensure that the design stays together, make sure that the beads are melted and strongly adhere to each other. Sometimes it is hard to tell when the beads are still warm. You can always iron again later after the beads are off the board.
Print the BE MINEcraft Free Printable and cut it out. You don't have to cut out each heart… Trimming it down to a 5x7 card works just as well. I used a hole punch to make a small hole, then ran the chain to the back of the card and taped it down with some washi tape. A clean look and easy for the kids to remove.
I'll be back later with another Valentine's Day Card idea. Hope you're having a great Monday!
